The Hawaiian gazette., 1887-10-25
.1)awaiian Oazette
EST Eo=gs IN REBUs.
TUESDAY. OCTOBER 25, 1887.

IT is scarcely likely that twenty
four Mobiles and twenty four Repre-
sentatives will see eye to eye with
every item of the Ministrys policy
upon any great question. Equally
improbable is it that the forty eight
elected members of the Legislature
viii always be ready with a unani-
nous AYE" to the department meas
ures of any one Minister, either in
block or in detail. There will, besides.
be many proposed measures emana-
ting from individual Ministers and
private members of theAssembIy which
will divide it in as many different
ways, if the Legislature will be as in
dependent as should be expected.
Yet it is difficult to see a necessity
why any of these almost inevitable
contingencies should be the occasion
for the crystalizing of an Opposition
party in the Assembly To make or
ganized opposition to the Govern
ment or to the Reform party fore
gone conclusion is to reduce the Leg:
islative Assembly to the dignity of a
village debating society. The CON
tingencies of strict party warfare do
not essentially constitute the palla-
dunn of liberty There are pretty
well regulated systems of municipal
government, for instance, where party
lines are unknown as a general thing.
1t is not impossible to suppose a con
dition of things in this country,
wherein independence would dimin-
ish in the Legislature in proportion
as partisanship increased. Past SEES
sions of the Hawaiian Legislature,
even under the anomalous condition
of things then obtaining, sometimes
yielded the best work when there
were temporary truces to party, Gov
eminent supporters and opponents de
iberating amicably together upon de-
tails of measures mutually agreed to
be required in the common interests of
the people Having said so much we
do not mean to affirm that cause may
not arise for the formation of an
Opposition party on principle before
the extraordinary session, or, if not
that, before the regular session has
run its course. Yet it is time enough
to advocate the necessity of party
opposition when the Ministry, indivi-
dually or collectively, show that they
are unfit for their positions. This
will only be the case when, in matters
of broad national policy and in de
tails of department administration,
their measures are found wrong in
principle or, as a rule, faulty in scope !
and substance Every patriotic mind |
will hope that the initial Ministry Of |
the Reform regime may commend |
itself to the conscientious and har-
endorsement of the Legisla-
ture as a whole. The formation Of
personal followings, place seeking
factions, Tory, Liberal, Radical,
Right, Left or Center parties, on no
other basis than an abstract theory
that partisan divisions are necessary
to the success of representative insti-
tutIons, would be miserable begin
ming for q Legislature elected en-
tirely on a platform of the common
welfare of the whole people. A CON
trary doctrine carries with it the sus-
picion Of being inspired by unscrupu-
lous politicians who perceive dim
chance of preferment in turmoil, in
trigue and disruptionamongst body
elected by the people to make laws
according to well-defned principles.